Textile conditioning and storage apparatus.



I. E. PALMER, DEGD. '1'. a u. T. mmum. ADMINISTBATDBS.

TEXTILE CONDITIONING AND STORAGE APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17, 1914.

1 1 2 3, 1 40. Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

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I. E. PALMER, DEGD. '1'. s n. T. PALMER, ADMINISTBATORS. TEXTILE CONDITIONING AND STORAGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.17, 1914.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

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I. E. PALMER, DEGD. T. a N. T. PALMER, ADMINISTRATORS. TEXTILE CONDITIONING AND STORAGE APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 17, 1914. 1 ,1 23, 140.- Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

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ISAAC E. PALMER, 0F MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT; TOWNSEND PALMER AND NATHALIE T. PALMER ADMINISTRATORS OF SAID ISAAC E. PALMER,

DECEASED.

TEXTILE CONDITIONING AND STORAGE APPARATUS.

issa to.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Isaac E. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of lifliddletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Textile Conditionlng and Storage Apparatus,- of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, l ke characters on the drawings representlng like parts.

This invention relates to textile cond1t1oning and storage apparatus particularly ntended for handling and treating textile material in lengths.

In order that the principle of the 1nven tion may be readily understood, 1 have disclosed a single embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of a textile continuous storage apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of said apparatus; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Flg. 2 of the lower portion of the apparatus upon a larger scale; Fig. d is a plan view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of a modified form of the apparatus; Fig. 6 1s a plan view of the modified form of apparatus shown in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a detail 1n plan and section of the follower governing the driving of the conveyer.

This invention, relating as it does to textile conditioning and storage apparatus, is an improvement upon the constructions shown in my Patents No. 408,388, August 6, 1899; No. 653,185, July 10, 1900; No. 971,778, October 4, 1910; and No. 1,033,925, July 30, 1912.

As shown in my patents above referred to, textile material in lengths, such for example as cloth or yarn, has been piled or folded into the open, upper end of an upright chute, usually of J or U shape, the material being treated either prior to or during its passage through said chute to the action of some suitable liquor, such for example as a bleaching, dyeing, finishing or other conditioning liquor. As disclosed in my said Patent No. $08,388, the front and rear walls of said chute were made of continuously driven aprons intended to facilitate the passage of the material through said chute; as disclosed in my Patent No. 653,485, I have facilitated Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 191%.

Application filed January 17, 1914. Serial No. 812,837.

the passage of the material through the chute by maintaining a flow of liquor suflicient to float it therethrough; and as disclosed in my Patents Nos. 971,7 7 8 and 1,033,925, I have employed walls of antifriction material likewise intended to facilitate the proper passage of the material therethrough, said latter patent disclosing in certain forms thereof a rear wall having a series of freely rotating rolls to decrease the frictional resistance to the ouward movement of the material. In the present application 1 disclose improved means including a conveyer positively operated, but automatically varied in its feeding movement by the textile material itself, to facilitate the passage of the material through the chute, and in such manner as to prevent tangling of the material and result in the discharge of the material in folds, preferably extending transversely of the chute and preferably substantially normal to the walls thereof throughout the longitudinal extent of the chute.

In accordance with my invention, the textile material may be discharged or drawn in a saturated or wet condition or in a squeezed condition from the chute or receiver, though in that embodiment of my invention herein represented, the material is more particularly intended to be discharged in a squeezed condition. The apparatus is adapted to receive material in rope or chain form, or as yarn, or in the condition of flat goods of suitable width, such material being treated in the apparatus or previous to its entrance thereto with any suitable conditioning liquor, such. for example as a bleaching, dyeing, finishing or other liquor, or just prior to the delivery of the material into the chute the conditioning liquor, of whatever nature, may be substantially expelled therefrom by the action of squeeze rolls, so that while the material remains in the chute, the comparatively small amount of treating liquor yet remaining in the goods may continue to act thereon, and if desired until the force of such treating liquor is exhausted.

teferring more particularly to the drawings, l have therein represented a chute, the upper portion of which is composed of front and rear walls 1, 2, and side walls 3, l, of suitable material, the said chute being upright and having at its upper end an inlet 5, into which the material is delivered in suitable manner, as hereinafter more fully I set forth. The walls of the chute may be composed of any suitable material, such as wood, and if desired. the front wall 1 may be provided with a hinged prolongation 6 Which may rest upon the material. I have herein represented the rear Wall 2 as having a portion 7 curved in substantial parallelism with the portion 6. At their lower ends, the

side walls 8, 4 are preferably provided with herein represented the tank 9 as having a wall 10 curved in general parallelism to the curved, lower wall of the chute. The liquor introduced into the upper portion of the chute and discharged into the tank 9 may be reintroduced into the upper portion of the chute by any suitable circulating means. Such liquor may be employed for the purpose of treating the material, and may be,

for example, a bleaching, dyeing or finishing liquor, or it may be Water or other liquid employed merely to facilitate the passage of the material through the chute. If desired, the upright portion of the chute may be of increasing cross sectional area in the direction of the passage of the material there through, as disclosed in certain of my prior patents. The upright portion of the chute, of whatever form, is adapted to discharge the material upon a conveyer here typified as rolls 11 arranged in a suitable series of any suitable extent and positioned at any suitable portion of the chute, it being evident that the portions of the chute in the rear and in advance of said conveyer may be of any suitable character. Said conveyer is here shown as arcuate so as to form a curved continuation of the rear Wall 2 of the chute. In the claims I state that the rolls form a wall of the receiver. I do not by this mean that the rolls necessarily form all of any one or more walls of the receiver, since they may form less than any entire Wall thereof, and. in the present embodiment of the invention are so shown. I have herein represented the side walls 8 of the chute as downwardly extending sufiiciently to receive the said rolls. Preferably a curved bearing plate 12 is secured to the lower edge of each lateral wall of the chute, and said rolls 11 are mounted therein to be positively driven as herein set forth. The said rolls rolls, though I am in no wise limited there-' to. While for this purpose I may employ any suitable means, I have herein represented in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 a ratchet wheel 13 mounted upon a stud shaft 14 suitably mounted in one of the side walls of the chute and in the tank wall. The said ratchet engages a pawl 15 pivoted upon a lever 16 loosely mounted upon the stud shaft 14 and having pivotally connected thereto a rod 17 Which as hereinafter set forth is reciprocated from the feeding mechanism, so as to impart rotative movement to the ratchet.

- Fast upon the stud shaft 1 1 is a pinion 18 meshing with a gear wheel 19 fast upon the shaft 20 of the leading roll 11. Likewise fast upon said shaft 20 is a pinion 21 meshing with and driving an intermediate pinion 22 which in turn meshes with a pinion 23 upon the shaft of the next roll 11. Similarly all the rolls 11 are driven by intermediate pinions 22 and gears 23. In this manner an intermittent positive rotative movement is imparted to the entire series of said rolls. Said rolls may be positioned any suitable distance apart and all may be of the same diameter. Preferably, however, a number of said rolls, or if desired all of them, may be of increasing diameter in the direction of the movement of the material through the chute. In that form of the invention herein illustrated, I have in Fig. 3 represented the five leading rolls as of gradually increasing diameter, the five rearmost rolls being represented as of uniform diameter. The upturned or discharge portion of the chute may be of any suitable height or extent, and to that end the location of the leading roll 11 may be varied. I have in Fig. 2 represented the chute as provided with a front wall 24- extending above the leading roll 11. may be continued upward and may be formed as a hopper so as to increase the capacity of the chute.

Driving movement is imparted to the rod 17 in any suitable manner, but preferably from the fabric feeding-in mechanism. 1 will therefore describe a suitable form of feeding-in mechanism particularly adapted for this purpose. 1

In order to introduce the material into the chute, I provide suitable means to trav- If desired, the said wall erse the material when in rope or yarn-like form and also to fold it back and forth in the upper end of the chute or merely to fold the material if the latter be wide goods. I.

ample as shown in my eo-pending application No. 812,559. Preferably I provide a sprocket chain suitably driven from the main drive shaft 26. The pot eye is traversed to and fro by the chain and is guided in its to and fro movement by upper and lower guides 27, 28 in a manner not necessary more fully to describe. If desired, it

may be traversed in any other suitable manner, as for example in the manner shown in my Patent No. 971,778. In order to in troduce the material in folds into the upper end of the chute, the main drive shaft 26 is provided with fast and loose pulleys whereby it may be driven from any suitable source. Upon said main drive shaft 26 is fast a suitable drum 29, about which the material passes, it being directed thereto from the pot eye 25. The main drive shaft 26 is supported in suitable bearings in uprights or castings 30 themselves supported upon the upper ends of the uprights 31, by which the chute is supported and which may be secured to the lateral walls of the tank 9. The material after passing over the upper surface of the drum 29 thence passes between said drum and the squeeze roll or rider roll 32, which is supported at the lower ends of links 33 pivoted as indicated at 34 in the upper ends of the uprights or brackets 30. The squeeze or rider roll 32 rests by gravity against the material and may expel a considerable portion of the liquid therefrom, if the material be received from an apparatus wherein it has been subjected to liquid treatment. Below and preferably between the drum 29 and the squeeze or rider roll 82, I mount folding means herein represented as a pair of plates 35, 36 pivoted at their upper ends as represented at 37, 38, to brackets 39, themselves secured to the brackets 30. The material emerging from between the drum 29 and the squeeze or rider roll 32 passes between the plates 35, 36 and the latter are suitably oscillated so as to deposit the material in folds in the upper end of the chute, and therefore upon the conveyer composed of the rolls 11. While any suitable means may be employed to oscillate the plates 35, 36, I have herein represented a sprocket wheel 10 mounted upon a bracket 41 depending from the frame and provided with a crank arm 412 to which is pivotally connected a link as itself pivotally secured to the lower ends of the plates 35, 36. The sprocket gear 10 is driven by a sprocket chain 1 1 from a sprocket pinion -15 fast upon the main drive shaft 26. Also fast upon the main drive shaft 26 is a second sprocket pinion 16, about which passes a sprocket chain 47 also passing about a sprocket gear 18 mounted upon a suitable bracket extending from the upright 31 and provided with a crank 19 to which is pivoted or suitably connected the upper end of the reciproeatory rod 17. If desired I may insert a yielding connection in the said reciprocatory rod 17 substantially as shown in my co-pending application referred to.

The conveyer composed of the rolls 11 is driven positively as herein set forth, but the movement thereof is governed by the textile material itself and preferably in such a manner as to drive the conveyer intermittently so as to maintain the discharge end of the column of textile material at or substantially at a uniform level or height. I may drive the rolls positively in any suitable manner, and in the construction shown I need not rely upon the ratchet wheel 13 to impart positive driving movement to the series of rolls, although the same be present, inasmuch as one or more of the series of rolls may in actual practice receive rotation from the material, and because of the fact that the series of rolls are geared together or otherwise connected, the series will thus be positively driven and may thus run ahead of said ratchet. Within the scope of my invention, I may continuously drive the conveyer composed of said rolls, but at variable speeds dependent upon and governed by the material so as to maintain the discharge end of the column thereof at substantially a fixed height. Herein for this purpose I have represented, as most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 7, a follower 5O adapted to rest upon the top of the column of material and, as herein shown, adjacent one of the sides of the chute. The said follower is provided with a rock shaft 51 suitably mounted in bearings 52, 53 upon the upright 31 and with arock arm 5% to which is pivotally secured a link 55, the lower end whereof is pivotally secured to the lever arm 56 loosely mounted upon the stud shaft 14L. Upon the pivotal. connection of the said rod 55 and lever 56 is pivotally mounted a shield 57 preferably having a tapered end 58. The said shield rests and is adapted to be reciprocated upon the edge of the ratchet 13 so as to cover more or less of the teeth thereof dependent upon the position of the follower 50. If thelevel ofthe material in the discharge end of the chute has slightly and temporarily fallen, the follower 50 moves downwardly and through the rod I in g more teeth to the. pawl 15, and thus per-' 55, and lever 56 moves the shield 57 to the left, viewing Figs. 2 and 3, therebyexpos level of the material is maintained in the discharge end of the chute. Preferably I provide stops to prevent undue rise or fall I of the follower 50, as indicated at 58, 59. The material will be folded in the upper end of the chute, and will be conveyed 1n .folds through the chute and discharged in that condition from the outlet 60. As indicated in Fig. 2, the folds of the material are at all points substantially normal to the front and rear walls and the rolls 11. The

material emerging from the discharge end of the chute may be conveyed to any suitable mechanism or may be reintroduced to the "upper end of the chute. The material may be introduced and fed through the chute at a very high rate of speed, and in practice I have demonstrated that V I may introduce two pleces, strands or ropes of material into the pot eye 25 and deliver the same into anddischarge the same through the chute, thus greatly increasing the de- 'livering capacity thereof in yards.-

In Figs. 5 and 6, T have shown a slightly modified form of my invention wherein the conveyer is represented as a series of rolls 61 each provided with a sprocket pinion 62,

about which and also about intermediate idler sprocket pinions 63 extends a sprocket chain 64. Intermittent movement as hereinbefore set forth is imparted to the series of rolls 61. through the ratchet 13 mounted upon the shaft 14- and the pawl 15. Upon said shaft 14L is mounted a gear 18 which meshes with and drives a gear 19 upon the shaft 20 of the leading roll 61 of the conveyer. Herein I have represented the sev eral rolls 61 as of uniform diameter, but Within the scope of my invention they may be of varying diameter as hereinbefore set forth in connection with the form of my invention shown inFigs. 1, 2 and 3.

If desired that form of my invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 may be mounted in I a tank as hereinbeforeset forth or in any other suitable manner it may be adapted for the introduction or use of conditioning or other liquid. I

a more rapid rate until the I From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the material introduced into the upper end of the chute is positivelyconveyed therethrough and positively delivered at the discharge end thereof, the feed of the material through the chute being governed by'the material itself and preferably in such a manner that when the discharge end of the column of material falls below a predetermined level, the material is fed at predetermined level has again been secured. I

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the'invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims: I v

1. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, a series of rolls forming a textile supporting wall of the receiver, and. means connecting said rolls, thereby to rotate them in train.

2. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a-receiver having an inlet and an outlet, aserles of rolls forming a textile supporting wall ad-.

jacent the outlet end of the receiver, feeding means for the material, and means for intermittently driving said rolls by said feedmg means.

3. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inletand an outlet, a series of rolls forming a textile supporting wall adjacent the outlet end of the receiver, and means governed by the material in the receiver for positively driving, said rolls.

1-. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and an upturned, lower discharge end, a series of bodily fixed rolls forming the lower Wall of the receiver adjacent the discharge end, and

means positively to rotate said rolls only when the discharge end of thecolumn sinks to a predetermined level.

5. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiverhaving an inlet at its upper end and an upturned, lower discharge end, a series of bodily fixed rolls. forming the lower wall of the receiver adjacent the discharge end,

; feeding means for the material, and gearing ratus comprising in combination, a recelver having an inlet at its upper end and'an upturned, lower discharge end, and a series of bodily fixed rolls forming the. lower wall of the receiver adjacent the discharge end, sai'd rolls being of increasing diameter toward the discharge end of the receiver.

7. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and an upturned, lower discharge end, a series of bodily fixed rolls forming the lower wall of the receiver adjacent the discharge end, said rolls being of increasing diameter toward the discharge end of the receiver, and means positively to rotate said rolls.

8. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end, and an upturned, lower discharge end, a series of bodily fixed rolls forming the lower Wall of the receiver adjacent the discharge end, and means to impart successively greater surface speed to a plurality of said series of rolls.

9. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and an upturned, lower discharge end, a series of bodily fixed rolls forming the lower wall of the receiver adjacent the discharge end, and means to drive said rolls, the latter being constructed and arranged, when driven, to increase the rate of movement of the material as it approaches the delivery end of the receiver.

10. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, and a series of rolls forming a wall of said receiver, said rolls being connected in train, whereby the driving of one roll effects the positive driving of the series of rolls.

11. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, a series of rolls forming a wall of said receiver, and means for intermittently driving said rolls.

12. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, 2. series of rolls forming a wall of said receiver, feeding means for the material, and means for intermittently driving said rolls from said i eedin means.

13. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a re ceiver having an inlet and an outlet, a series of rolls forming a wall of said receiver,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for and means governed by the material in the receiver for positively driving said rolls.

14. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, a series of rolls forming a wall of said receiver, and means governed by the material to rotate said rolls, thereby to maintain the dis charge end of the column of material in a substantially fixed position with reference to said outlet.

15. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end, and a lower discharge end, a series of bodily fixed rolls forming the lower wall of the receiver, feeding means for the material, and gearing driven l y said feeding means for rotating said rolls.

l6. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and a lower discharge end, and a series 01 bodily fixed rolls forming a wall of the receiver, said rolls being of increasing diameter toward the discharge end of the receiver.

17. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and a lower discharge end, a series of bodily fixed rolls forming a wall of the receiver, said rolls being of increasing diameter toward the discharge end of the receiver, and means positively to rotate said rollers.

18. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and a lower discharge end, a series of bodily fixed rolls forming a wall of the receiver, and means to impart successively. greater surface speed to a plurality of said series of rolls.

19. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, a series of rolls forming a wall of the receiver and means positively to drive said rolls.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ISAAC E. PALMER.

Witnesses W ILLIAM Lanenn, CHAS. M. SAU'ER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

